Charlie Kirk Founded Turning Point USA on Free Markets and Limited Government for Millennials

The Genesis of Turning Point USA

Charlie Kirk founded Turning Point USA two and a half years prior with a clear mission centered around two core values: free markets and limited government. The organization emerged at a time when young people across the country were desperately seeking an alternative point of view, tired of big government dictating how they should live their lives.

Kirk observed that young Americans were struggling under the crushing burden of student loans, unable to find meaningful employment, and disturbed by government intrusion into their private lives, including the reading of their text messages. The very generation that wholeheartedly embraced Barack Obama's agenda in 2008 and 2012 now found themselves paying the price for big government policies that promised benefits they thought would come without cost.

A Stark Warning About Political Choices

Kirk delivers a memorable analogy to illustrate what he sees as a fundamental contradiction: "A young person voting for a Democrat is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders." The comparison underscores his belief that young voters often support policies that ultimately work against their own interests, despite the appealing promises made during campaign seasons.

Obama's Reliance on the Youth Vote

Kirk recalls a pivotal moment in modern political history when Barack Obama lost his first debate to Governor Mitt Romney in Colorado. According to Kirk, Obama immediately turned to his senior advisor Valerie Jarrett and demanded to be placed on a college campus the very next day. Obama understood where his strength lay and went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where 72,000 young people showed up in support.

This incident demonstrates how Obama recognized that when he needed a bailout, when he needed energy and enthusiasm, he turned to young people. Obama built his political legions on the backs of Millennials, leveraging their passion and commitment to carry his message forward.

A Vision for the Future

Kirk sees an opportunity for his generation not merely to reject the big government agenda but to paint an optimistic future built on different principles. This vision centers on limited government, individual liberty, and an increased economy driven by entrepreneurship and the American Dream.

He believes that his generation and their belief system will pave the way for Millennials for decades to come, offering a fundamentally different approach to governance and economic policy than what they experienced under the Obama administration.